Just Don't Grab Santa

So, I'm at my husband's family's house for Christmas this year. Or I should say just about every Christmas since I've met him. My family primarily lives on the East Coast, a much harder trip than the two hour drive to Sacramento. And far more expensive than a tank of gas or two.

So my husband's family does Christmas differently than mine. Firstly, they open Christmas gifts on Christmas Day morning rather than Christmas Eve night. Secondly, they don't eat Jule Gröd on Christmas Eve or any other day for that matter. And then there's Santa's Grab Bag.

Formally held on Christmas Eve amidst lots of tasty edibles, everyone (meaning the Coopers and various family and friends) bring some random gift for the event. Then all the gifts are put in a box/bag/center of the room after all the regular tasties have been eaten and the crowd is starting on the sweet tasties. Ahh, Judie Cooper's (Marty's mom) chocolate pecan fudge. Everyone draws numbers and the lowest number (Number One) gets to choose a gift from the pile. Number Two goes next and so on. But wait! There's a catch. Okay, so say Number Three gets a cool gift and Number Four goes next. Well, if Number Four wants the gift Number Three got, they can "steal" it for themselves. Granted, Number Three gets to choose again but I was just all ablink the first time I encountered this game. But it is pretty good natured and the gifts are usually benign. I think Marty and I got a stretchy plastic duck-like creature called a "Hyper Head Duck". Occasionally however there are some coveted gifts like a gift card to Starbucks or Borders and this year, a $20 bill. That one got stolen by last number Number Thirteen, Gavin, taking it away from his sister Tamsen, claiming it in the name of his gas tank.

This year, Sam (Samantha), daughter of Corey (Marty's brother) and Karen (Corey's wife), had to gone on Christmas Day so we joined in watching her open presents on the morning of Christmas Eve. The rest of us opened on Christmas Day.

I personally received several signs from the "Heavens" that I need to get off my ass and learn to use my sewing machine. Last year, maybe two years ago, I had requested a sewing machine to get into quilting, at least the machine set up kind, probably hand-finishing. Heh. So I signed up for a class where you can bring your own machine and make a project on it to learn its wily ways.

I'm doomed. Photography class, singing class, short sewing class... who knows what other class. Work. Exercise, eeeww! Major life decisions! Action, drama, romance! Everything you'd want for the movie trailer of "Heather: 2007"!! Well, maybe everything YOU'D want. I'M not so sure!! :)